Race to the Top and iObservation

A System to Deliver Improved Teacher Effectiveness and Student Achievement

iObservation is uniquely positioned to help schools, districts, and states develop programs that align with Race to the Top’s requirements for classroom observation, monitoring, professional development, and reporting. iObservation has partnered with Charlotte Danielson and Dr. Robert Marzano to create a solution that incorporates student achievement data, teacher observations, leadership observations, and performance evaluations into a comprehensive view of school performance.

The framework provided by iObservation enables educational leaders and policy makers to accomplish the following:

Implement a classroom observation system customized for the specific initiatives implemented by the state or district

Create an aligned system with a common language/model of instruction that ensures all professional development efforts work together and improvements in instructional practices can be monitored and supported

Deliver focused professional development that relates to each teacher’s specific needs

Provide robust sets of data from multiple sources to inform administrators and teachers at all levels

School systems that implement iObservation with Danielson, Marzano, and Reeves will be well positioned to meet several key priorities of the Race to the Top initiative:

Comprehensive Approach to Education Reform – iObservation establishes a Common Language of Instruction based on Danielson’s Framework for Teaching or Marzano’s Art and Science of Teaching. A Common Language of Instruction creates a coherent and systematic way to develop, support and monitor teacher and leadership effectiveness.

Data Systems to Support Instruction – iObservation provides data on instructional and leadership improvement, and student growth connected to teachers’ instructional effectiveness. Data can be viewed on a variety of levels including state, district, school, department, classroom, and individual. iObservation data may be shared with the state’s databases using secure data transfer protocols.

Improve Teacher and Principal Effectiveness Based on Performance – iObservation provides the system for LEAs to meet annual targets for assessing and evaluating teacher and principal effectiveness using multiple measures including data on student growth. The system allows LEAs flexibility on the types of data that are considered for evaluations including student feedback, growth in pedagogy, student growth data, teacher self-assessment, and observation data.

Timely Evaluations of Teachers and Principals with Data on Student Growth – iObservation links a growth and evaluation system for teachers and principals with feedback loops and tracking of progress toward performance goals. Specific supports are in place to assist and strengthen feedback to be specific, timely, and meaningful.

Provide Effective Support to Teachers and Principals – iObservation with the Danielson Collection or Dr. Marzano’s Suite provide every participating LEA with:

Aligned in-service PD that is rigorous and focuses on deliberate practice

Aligned PLCs (virtual and in-person)

Aligned coaches with monitoring systems and aligned professional development

Aligned principals with tools for monitoring and supporting effective teachers in every classroom

Aligned growth plans for all teachers and principals

Aligned evaluation for all teachers and principals

iObservation includes a deliberate continuous improvement process for teachers and principals to focus on increasing their effectiveness.

iObservation solutions for Race to the Top can be implemented at any level – state, district, or school. For more information on iObservation, please register for a RttT webinar or contact us with your questions.

State Specific RttT Solutions

See how iObservation can meet specific Race to the Top requirements for your state

White Papers

Race to the Top will place pressure on districts to increase teacher and principal effectiveness unlike ever before. Dr. Marzano and his colleagues discuss how to create an aligned system to supervise, support, and develop great teachers in every classroom.

Videos

Dr. Marzano Explains the Power of a Common Language of Instruction

Dr. Robert Marzano explains why a common language/model of instruction is the foundation for improving teaching and learning.

Recorded Webinar: Creating an Aligned System to Develop Great Teachers

Dr. Robert Marzano and Michael Toth, CEO of iObservation, explain the concept of a aligned system for schools and districts. An aligned system will position local education agencies to meet the criteria of the Federal Race to the Top initiative.